Biography:

The British Heavyweight Champion (September 1947)

BERT ASSIRATI

Charles Mascall Contends that few will beat him !

Bert Assirati is short and stocky for a heavy-weight. But therein lies his
success as a wrestler. Because of his size, his agility and his knowledge of
the various holds and leverages, there have been few wrestlers capable of beating
him.

To name the complete list would take a number of pages. Born in London, Assirati
stands five feet six inches in his bare feet and weighs around the 16 stone
mark. Despite his weight and stockiness, his opponents find him a difficult
man to hold in any one spot for very long. Henri Deglane, recently in Paris,
tried for one hour to pin the slippery Londoner, but the final decision was
a draw. Deglane is a former heavyweight champion of the world. The fact that
he spent much of his early life as a music-hall acrobat has assisted Assirati
in his climb to the pinnacle of wrestling success. For a number of years he
was part of the tumbling act of Mello and Nello, feature attraction on variety
bills in this country and on the Continent. His amatuer career began at the
famous Ashdown Wrestling Club. Here he trained for amatuer competition with
the same vigour that he now carries out his wrestling schedule which, even today,
consists when his bookings of course permit, of two hours daily wrestling in
the gymnasium.

Atholl Oakeley, the genius behind early British wrestling ; is credited with
the discovery of the champion. Peter Gotz and Jack Carroll, champions of the
past, were responsible for instructing him in the tricks of the professional
game, and a tour of the United States prepared Assirati to take his place at
the head of the sport in this country. According to the record books, Douglas
Clark, recognised as the British champion retired and the title became open.
At Belle Vue Stadium, Manchester, Bert Assirati faced George Gregory of Bolton,
and defeated him to become British heavyweight champion.

With his claim to the British title now firmly secure, Assirati sought world
honours by entering the tournaments at Harringay last March. His defeat of Ivor
Martinsen, Danish European titlist, is now history. What the outcome the finals
of the tournaments to be run off this winter will be remains to be seen, but,
it is our bet that Assirati will emerge heavyweight champion of the wrestling
world. In making every endeavour to obtain this World Title ambition, Assirati
has trained hard.

He has taken full advantage of the fine summer we have experienced this year.
He pays regular visits to the Welsh Harp. This open space is an ideal spot in
N.W. London which provides good training, swimming and sun-bathing facilities.
The results of this training campaign is most noticeable when Assirati strips
in preparation to face his opponent.

His recent form has been very good against the toughest matmen we have in this
country, and we of "Combat" feel sure this standard of form will be
retained against the influx of foreign grapplers that are expected to visit
this country during the coming season.

In contests over the past few months Assirati has had to deal with opponents
whose methods of attack in trying to overcome this powerful wrestler have been
varied and hard. However, in all due respects to the opposition, it will be
a wrestler of exceptional ability to master the British Champion.